rfgon's Tealogrfgon's tealog on Steepsterhttp://steepster.com/
Rooibush Cream Caramel from TeaGschwendnerI've been looking for a good rooibos since TG discontinued Rooibush Kuruman. I usually find rooibos teas too weak or too woody, so I steep this for 7 minutes. It smells like candy in the bag, but the sweetness is really very mild. Not a strong flavor but it's very smooth and makes you feel cozy.
Not worth rebrewing, sadly.Sat, 15 Oct 2011 03:23:58 -0400/teas/Rooibush%20Cream%20Caramel/8365-rooibush-cream-caramel?note=87730
Green Coconut from TeaGschwendnerIt's pretty decent hot; the coconut and sencha round each other out well. But come on, this is a flavored green tea. It tastes AMAZING when iced. The flavor comes out clear, strong, smooth, and refreshing. The second iced infusion loses the sencha flavor entirely and tastes like a mild version of coconut water. Or like drinking the smell of coconut, if you could do that.
The only reason I didn't rate this higher was that I'm not a huge fan of the grassy aftertaste of sencha. If you're into that, you'll absolutely love this tea.Sat, 15 Oct 2011 03:32:03 -0400/teas/Green%20Coconut/5773-green-coconut?note=87731
Golden Bi Luo from Chicago Tea GardenThe first time I brewed this tea, I was incredibly careful with temperatures, preheating, etc, and it was unlike any tea I've ever had. The next time, I didn't bother as much, and it still came out good, but lacking a lot of the complexity. So this review is for the first time. You'll want to set aside a good chunk of time to enjoy this tea properly. I think 'scrumptious' gets at the whole experience the best.
1st infusion (75 sec): Tasty, creamy, vanilla and malt notes, but not overpoweringly malty like many black teas can be. It reminds me a bit of sweet potato baked with marshmellows, but more savory. Incredibly smooth mouthfeel, even though it's paradoxically a bit astringent.
2nd infusion (2 min): Slightly sweeter than the 1st, otherwise the same.
3rd infusion (3 min): Oops, may have oversteeped. This infusion is too astringent. It's starting to get weak.
4th infusion (lost track; 3-5 min): Distinctly reminds me of gyokuro for some reason, but with mellow and savory substituted for grassy.Sat, 15 Oct 2011 03:44:08 -0400/teas/Golden%20Bi%20Luo/8773-golden-bi-luo?note=87733
Apricot Green from Adagio TeasThis blend has an amazing smell that, like most teas, it doesn't live up to. Apricot complements green tea but the flavor is weak and elusive. Brewed hot, the fruityness is barely there; cold brewing brings it out more but not enough to be satisfying. Oh well.Mon, 17 Oct 2011 16:05:17 -0400/teas/Apricot%20Green/224-apricot-green?note=87965
Black Dragon Pearls from Adagio TeasThis stuff rocks. I treat myself to it when I want something robust but I'm not quite in the mood for coffee and its epic dehydrating powers.
It's most interesting at 4.5 minutes, 2 pearls per 8oz. The cocoa notes are really there -- no finely-tuned connoisseur bullshit. A bit astringent, very full-bodied, and ultra satisfying. There's maltiness there, but it isn't dominant. When brewed for 5+ minutes, the maltiness overwhelms the complexity and it tends toward a typical Irish Breakfast-y taste.
The second infusion is good and strong, but nothing special -- again, more like an Irish Breakfast tea. I usually just toss it after the first infusion or rebrew for a housemate.Mon, 17 Oct 2011 16:18:31 -0400/teas/Black%20Dragon%20Pearls/4471-black-dragon-pearls?note=87968
Casablanca Twist from Adagio TeasThis is the one tea I've ever thought benefited noticeably from a little sugar. I just use a half teaspoon for a 24oz teapot, and it really brings out the unique flavor of the darjeeling-mint blend, which is otherwise murky if you drink it piping hot. (With the exception of Casablanca Twist, I'm a purist when it comes to caffeinated beverages -- no cream, no sugar, "coffee should be black as hell and strong as death", and all that. So adjust your dosage accordingly.)
I got this as a sample, and although it's decent, it doesn't have enough of an edge over plain peppermint tea to make the inflated price (~2x more) worth it for me.Mon, 17 Oct 2011 17:24:09 -0400/teas/Casablanca%20Twist/209-casablanca-twist?note=87974
Jasmine #5 from Adagio TeasAwesome staple at a really reasonable price. The jasmine completely overwhelms the oolong, but it's delicious and smells great, so whatever. Way cheaper than Adagio's more balanced and delicate jasmine#12. Multiple infusions are not bad.
Tastes best after cooling down a bit. It also makes a great iced tea. Be careful not to overbrew -- I've let it go over by a couple minutes before and it acquired this weird, bitter, rubbery taste.Mon, 17 Oct 2011 17:47:15 -0400/teas/Jasmine%20%235/108-jasmine-number-5?note=87979
Tie Guan Yin Competition Grade "Monkey Picked" Oolong from Chicago Tea GardenYou know how teas never live up to their smell? This one exceeds it. Imagine drinking the smell of your favorite perfume. (Not your grandmother's.)
1st infusion: OMG. The mouthfeel is ridiculously, unbelievably silky smooth. Floral, sweetly vegetal, buttery, maybe with a hint of jasmine? The flavor is somehow both delicate and strong. I don't usually notice color, but it's a gorgeous sort of yellowy jade hue.
2nd infusion: The vegetal flavor is pushing back the perfumey florals a bit. Still sweet and buttery smooth.
3rd infusion: Getting more vegetal than I'd like, and starting to weaken. It's rich and buttery enough, not sencha-grassy, that I don't really care.
Brew with extreme love and care. The second time I made it, I didn't jump through all the extra hoops that CTG suggests, and it came out disappointing. Seriously though, best tea experience I've ever had. Love CTG's sample program.Mon, 17 Oct 2011 18:21:54 -0400/teas/Tie%20Guan%20Yin%20Competition%20Grade%20%22Monkey%20Picked%22%20Oolong/8774-tie-guan-yin-competition-grade-monkey-picked-oolong?note=87983
Zealong Pure from Chicago Tea GardenUnfortunately, I don't like grassy teas...not sure why I decided to sample this. Not my thing.
1st infusion: Sweet, vegetal, extremely buttery (though not smooth like CTG's amazing TGY), and a little reminiscent of...soup? There's an extremely clean, bright, sort of filtered-water quality to it that seems to go up your nose like pool water.
2nd infusion: A roasty, nutty flavor came out in this steep.Mon, 17 Oct 2011 18:56:04 -0400/teas/Zealong%20Pure/14204-zealong-pure?note=87989
Sticky Rice Pu-erh Tuocha from Chicago Tea GardenMy first pu-erh. Yes, it tastes and smells exactly like sticky rice, at least on the first infusion. A fun novelty experience, but I wouldn't buy more (only got a sample).
1st infusion (45 sec): Tastes just like sweet sticky rice, with a touch of greenness at the end.
2nd infusion (45 sec): Oops, slightly bitter -- the pu-erh cake had a chance to loosen up more, and is infusing faster. The rice flavor is still there, but it's much more grassy and earthy now.
3rd infusion (40 sec): Too earthy for me. Tastes like the smell of fresh, clean dirt. Guess pu-erh isn't my thing.Mon, 17 Oct 2011 19:12:07 -0400/teas/Sticky%20Rice%20Pu-erh%20Tuocha/11660-sticky-rice-pu-erh-tuocha?note=87990
Earl Grey (No. 69) from TeaGschwendnerA definite staple. Beautifully balanced and not at all bitter. I always wish I could talk in Captain Picard's voice when I drink this.Sun, 30 Oct 2011 20:28:40 -0400/teas/Earl%20Grey%20(No.%2069)/2388-earl-grey-no-69?note=89144
Masala Chai from Rishi TeaYummo! I don't usually do tea with milk, but I received a tin of this as a gift. Brewed according to the directions, with the exception of reducing the sugar to 1T. With 1c whole milk + 1c water, it was perfectly spicy, delicious, and rich. 1c 1% milk + 1c water tasted thin and the pepper came through too strongly. Haven't tried any intermediates yet.
A second infusion (with the addition of another teaspoon of leaf and 1-2 extra minutes) was decent but didn't hit the spot like the first.Fri, 23 Mar 2012 14:42:29 -0400/teas/Masala%20Chai/263-masala-chai?note=107563
Vanilla Black from Rishi TeaA refreshing change from artificially flavored black teas. The vanilla, which predominates, is authentic and creamy. I initially couldn't taste the tea at all through it, although the tea flavor came out and balanced more at around 100°F. A four minute brew just starts to get astringent.
Overall, too mild for my taste.Fri, 23 Mar 2012 15:17:10 -0400/teas/Vanilla%20Black/335-vanilla-black?note=107566